1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controller, and more particularly to a stroke controller for a key duplicator that allows the key duplicator to precisely process a key workpiece to make a key duplicate.
2. Description of Related Art
A lock is a mechanical or electronic device that is released by a physical object such as a key. Locks provide an inexpensive, though imperfect, method of access control for access to properties like buildings and vehicles and prevent thievery and robbery.
Generally speaking, a key matching the lock has multiple teeth and notches defined between the teeth. Depths of the notches may be different to form a specific combination.
When a conventional duplicating method is applied to duplicate an original key, an operator measures the depths of the notches of the key by naked eyes or rulers and then drills or mills a key workpiece to form the same notches on the workpiece to complete a key copy. However, such method for duplicating a key is imprecise and the notches of the key copy are too inaccurate to open the lock that the original key is capable of opening.
The other conventional key duplicating method uses a key duplication device to copy an original key. The key duplication device has a body and a clamping assembly. The body has a shaft, a probe and a drill bit. The clamping assembly is mounted on the body and has two dampers and a sleeve. The clampers are set opposite to the probe and drill bit. The sleeve is mounted rotatably and slidably around the shaft so that the clamping assembly is capable of rotating and sliding axially on the shaft. A user holds and moves the clamping assembly on the shaft and extends the probe into one of the notches of the original key to detect the depth of the notch and simultaneously drills a same notch in the key workpiece by the drill bit. However, drilling the key workpiece by the handheld clamping assembly is still imprecise. A duplication of the key probably cannot open a corresponding lock.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a stroke controller for a key duplicator to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.